When we first heard about babies and children getting adjusted by chiropractors, we thought it was crazy!  We thought, “Children don’t have back pain!” and, “Are adjustments even safe for babies?”  Well, these thoughts were all before we were even chiropractic patients ourselves and before we started chiropractic school.  These thoughts were WELL BEFORE we understood that chiropractic care is for so much more than just back pain and WELL BEFORE we realized that adjustments are geared specifically to the person being adjusted.

Once we really understood what chiropractic was all about, we realized that chiropractic care starting at birth makes complete sense!  Maybe if we each had started chiropractic care as babies (or especially as children involved in gymnastics and football, respectively), we wouldn’t have dealt with some of the pain and health issues we each had in our teens and early twenties.

Chiropractic care is not about treating neck and back pain, or any other condition for that matter.  Chiropractic care is about addressing spinal imbalance that affects the normal function of the nervous system.  With that in mind, kids have a spine and a nervous system, and they should be checked for balance and proper function just like adults should be checked.

Here are some common causes of spinal misalignment/imbalance in children:

• Birth process, especially a traumatic birth experience
• Environmental toxins, like cigarette smoke, pollution, chemicals/dyes in food/clothing
• Falls while learning to walk, run, climb, ride a bike, play sports, etc…
• Bumping their head on furniture, tables, etc…
• Collisions with other children
• Other accidents, traumas, or injuries

Here are some common outward signs and symptoms of spinal imbalance and nervous system dysfunction in children:

• Breastfeeding difficulties
• Chronic ear infections
• Frequent colds/illness
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Constipation
• Bed wetting
• Scoliosis
• Headaches
• ADD/ADHD
• Autism or Behavioral and Learning Disorders
• Epilepsy/seizures
• Neck pain
• Growing pains
• Torticollis

Here are important reasons to get children checked with or without outward signs or symptoms:

• Check for nervous system interference
• Ensure proper spinal balance during development
• Improve the body’s ability to handle stress
• Improve immune system function

What is an adjustment like for a baby?

First of all, care in our office is individualized and specific to each patient.  Babies, children, and adults are all adjusted accordingly.  To get a feel for what an adjustment is like for a baby, take your index finger and press down on your forearm as though you were pushing one button on a digital oven.  That is a similar speed, force, and length of time of an adjustment for a baby.

Both of our children have been getting checked (and adjusted if needed) since the day they were born.  Neither of them needed adjusted the first several times they were checked.  To date, the youngest patient checked in our office (other than our children) was 7 weeks old when he first started care.  He, too, did not need adjusted the first several times he was checked.  His mom started care for him simply because she specifically said she didn’t want him to end up with her health problems.  Most of the young children in our office have started care not because they had a specific health problem, but because their parents wanted to prevent problems in the future. 

Do all kids need to be adjusted?  Not necessarily.  All kids need to be checked, and if they are balanced and free of nerve interference, they do NOT need an adjustment.  The only way to know whether or not a child needs to be adjusted is to get their spine checked.  It’s a simple, non-invasive process that can have lasting health benefits for years.

Something to keep in mind… sometimes obvious signs and symptoms of a problem take months or even years to manifest.  The lack of outward signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean that one is functioning properly and fully healthy.  Give your children the best chance to be naturally healthy by getting them checked early.

Sources:  [1]  [2]

Here’s what a few of our young patients have to say about care. 

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